PODCAST

April 10th, 2013

My friend was recently assigned to an interim pastorate position. When she met with the church leaders about a new membership class, they cautioned her to not discuss tithing or ask the potential members about their personal relationship with Christ. They felt such discussions may cause the potential members to become angry. Such dialogues might even prevent them joining the church.

After a silent prayer, the interim pastor humbly expressed that she could not do what they asked. She explained that God’s Word requires us to maintain a personal relationship to Christ; otherwise there can be no community of believers. She expressed that tithing was an expression of joy, and church members should know tithing is not drudgery.

False prophets may not be the ones preaching on television or holding great city events; they may be sitting on church boards impeding the work of the Holy Spirit. Our Savior cautions us to discern the truth and to follow it. The Holy Spirit not only admonishes or convinces us of sin, but also admonishes of what is righteous and acceptable.

How does have a different opinion from (the Church of the Nazarene) makes one a false prophet? Granted, the official position of the Church of the Nazarene is that tithing is mandatory; however there are many solid arguments against the New Testament Christian obligated to fast as there are biblical arguments against this argument. As a matter of fact, there is not one single verse in the entire NT that supports TITHING. Giving – yes! but NEVER tithing. All proponents of tithing must go back to the OT Malachi for their best support.
Tithing, like Sabbath-keeping is of the Old Law. Therefore, if we hold that the Old Law was nailed to the cross (Col 2: 14-16), why wasn’t tithing too…???

In today’s times, as a general rule, we don’t receive our increases from food or animals. We receive our increase through “work” (not our asset of livestock or crops).

A proper perspective is not that we must tithe, but that we want to help (out of a cheerful heart). Granted, most of the tithe is going to the “presence” of a building and a cheerful membership, but the principle of tithing helps the giver let go of the stronghold that goes along with money.

The church board is responsible for taking that money and furthering God’s Kingdom with it.

Try Leviticus 27:30-33 – This is where God defines His tithe. God limited His tithe to come from crops and animals from the promised land that He gave to the Children of Israel. Eleven tribes inherited the promised land, and the 12th tribe (The Levites) inherited the tithe instead of the land. Gentiles has nothing to do with the tithe. (Numbers 18)

God actually commanded three different tithes, and none of them came from anything other than God’s increase of food from crops and animals.

THE FIRST TITHE
Leviticus 27:30-33 defines this tithe as a tenth of crops and animals in herds and flocks.
Numbers 18 gives the ordinances, or instructions, for this tithe, and commands this tithe be taken to the Levites.
Purpose of this tithe: to support the Levitical Priesthood.

SECOND TITHE
Deuteronomy 14:22-27: aka The Festival Tithe – a tenth of crops, plus add to that the firstborn animals, and take to the yearly feasts.
Purpose of this tithe: “that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always”

THIRD TITHE
Deuteronomy 14:28-29: aka The Three-Year Tithe aka The Poor Tithe – a tenth of crops, kept at home, and invite the Levites, widows, orphans, stranger to eat.
Purpose of this tithe: to feed the poor.

Thanks! I’m going to have to study. As a quick thought, “The tithe came from their “assets.” They may raise the same number of animals and and crops each year.

The word “limited” is jumping out at me, also, the words “support the . . .Priesthood.” Who are the Levities and priest of today? I hear “support” to not only mean “help” in supplying their food, shelter and clothing but their purpose as well.

From the last explanation, I hear every three years we are to feed the poor. I guess, I would interpret that to mean a third of the tithe goes to the poor.

The tithe is such a stronghold against God’s people. It would be nice if it could be resolved in explanation. I remain that it’s “purpose” (with the New Testament) is to further God’s Kingdom and the testing results upon the heart.

The “purpose” of the tithe ended when the Levitical priesthood ended per Hebrews 7:5,12,18. Nowhere in the New Testament are Christians taught to tithe.

There are no “Levites” today, and all born-again believers are now the priests.

1 Peter 2:5 (KJV) “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”

1 Peter 2:9 (KJV) “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

1 – According to the scriptures, priests do not tithe (Numbers 18).
2 – As priests, all born-again believers are equal. There is no better or lesser among us. God has not designated any born-again believers to collect His tithe.
3 – To try and “tithe” today is denying that you are a part of a Royal Priesthood.

A study of tithing in the Christian Church reveals that no church taught anyone to tithe from their income before 1870.

If you’d like to read a book I have written on this topic, it is a free download. Just “google” my name and tithing book.

Interesting! If we are not to foresake the gathering together and desire to further God’s Kingdom on a limited income, the giving from each multiplies the efforts.

I “attend” a Nazarene church; but I have searched for the “perfect church.” However, I’ve come to realize that each of us “utilize” the scriptures at different levels in our own life; thus, making different levels of justification and understandings. All we can due is to turn the sword within and not judge others.

Most will agree that it is not them that is judging, it is the Bible. However, it is our understanding of the scriptures by which we utilize to judge others. The Holy Spirit has a “checks and balancing” system, we just have to continue “listening.”

My tithing is only a portion of my giving. I’m sure that tithing is “all” the giving that some do.

The church teaching of the the requirenent of a “tithe” (10% of your income) underminds the heart, mind and soul love for God for which we should be striving). God gets glory when “more” of yourself is given through your talent, skills, and lifestyle (including your financial stewardship).

At least, that’s what I’m taking away from the conversation.

Getting on the same page is so very hard. I heard this point with your last sentence.

It’s sad to see all these comments discuss the lesser of the two issues that they didn’t want her to discuss, that being the persons personal relationship with Christ. It’s so easy to dissect the lesser issue and totally ignore the main premise. If I were her, I’d agree to not talk about tithing, but would not agree to say nothing about the persons relationship with Jesus Christ.

Tithe… Well, about giving our income- in the OT when people didn’t have crops or animals to bring in-like if they made an income, they would buy the offering equal to whatever anyone else would bring in. And when they were rebuilding the temple they brought in their tithe- money, so they could buy the materials they needed and to pay the workers. Also, Luke points out that when a widow was offering two mites and it was all she had she gave more than the rich religious leaders who would show off how much they gave… Point that Jesus was trying to get across… God wants people to rely on Him for their livelihood and offer everything to honor and praise Him. God wants our hearts! Lastly, who gives you the ability to work and make money in the first place? Doesn’t god give you that ability? Jesus says give to the government what belongs to the government and give to God what belongs to God. A Jew in that time would know he was talking about the tithe. They would also know that God says the whole earth is His and the fullness there of. He also says that He bought us at a price and that we should even honor Him with our bodies- our bodies even belong to him!

The New Testament principle of giving is to forsake all to follow Christ; to give 100 percent in devotion to our God. He gave His all for our salvation. Why does any murmuring, grumbling tightwad desire to spend more on himself ?

The other matter comes into play at this point. In the devotional the prospective pastor was told not to “… ask the potential members about their personal relationship with Christ.”

Amen, and Amen! I recently became the widow of a retired Nazarene Pastor of a lifetime of learning of God’s Holy Way’s. And, as a pastoral wife I learned along with my husband of fifteen plus years, that tithing of our ALL our collective spiritual gifts, including our extensive number of children, eleven to be exact, and of course the in-laws and out-of-laws, we gave of all these people, places and things. It truly is not about us as individuals but of us as one in Christ Jesus, the only perfect Son of God!! Not me, not you, not one church, but All Of Us, collectively, all One in Christ and Christ Jesus alone!!

As for Garfield’s (the second) comment,I never knew “it is mandatory”.. Been a Nazarene member for 25 years, no one has told me I can’t be a member unless I tithe.I am of the belief that is between me and God. He will hold me accountable. I believe we get a blessing if we do tithe. Some of my income is used in ways that I feel will be used of God other than pay the utilities. Ex- I save on printing for the Church in printing Sunday School and NMI materials myself often, since I’m a S.S. teacher and Local NMI President. My ‘fixed income’ is a lot less than $1,000 so I’m very frugal. I thank God for what He provides each day.

I have been told by my Pastor that I must put my donation, tithe, etc into the envelope that the church supplies. In years past I just placed my gift in the offering plate cuz I felt like putting it in the envelope, preprinted with my name on it, was just a way of saying look how much I gave this week. When I just placed it in the offering plate my seed was multiplied by God plus I did it that way cuz I felt that what I gave was between me and God nobody else.